Ellery Mast, Holland Christian grab OK Green title

Tuesday

Feb 18, 2014 at 10:49 PMFeb 18, 2014 at 10:49 PM

By Lee LambertsSentinel contributor

BYRON CENTER — When Autumn Rooks missed a free throw and a chance for a three-point play late in Tuesday night’s game, Ellery Mast gathered in the offensive rebound and made it a four-point play instead.About a minute later, Bre Luurtsema missed the back end of a one-and-one situation and Mast wrestled the ball away from one of the Byron Center Bulldogs.Mast turned that into another layup for the final two of her nine points as the Maroons outlasted Byron Center, 55-47. That win, combined with Hamilton’s loss to Hudsonville Unity Christian, gave Holland Christian the outright OK Green championship, its first ever league title.“It’s definitely fun to beat Byron Center because I played here, but this was for the girls,” Holland Crystal Strickland said. “They won a game against a good team, and we’re conference champions for the first time ever at Holland Christian.“At the beginning of the season, the girls set a goal to be conference champs, and it feels good to accomplish this because they worked really hard.”It was that hard work on Tuesday that allowed the Maroons to improve to 8-1 in the OK Green and 16-3 overall.Mast’s 14 rebounds, including six of the offensive variety, were critical as the Maroons held off a third-quarter Byron Center rally to earn the win.What seemed like a comfortable 35-21 lead with three minutes to play in the third quarter turned into a one-point difference by the end of that period as the Bulldogs hit three 3-pointers in the final three minutes.Holland Christian, however, opened the fourth quarter with a pair of baskets and free throws and rebounding helped secure the win.“I just tell myself I’m going to get the ball,” Mast said of her rebounding strategy. “I think it helps that I can jump pretty high. I’m getting that ball, I just go for it when I see it.“We wanted this game really bad for coach and for ourselves. It’s always a good feeling when we win here.”Those offensive boards also allowed Mast to net nine points, part of a balanced scoring attack. Rooks finished with 12 points, Luurtsema had 10 points, Hope Leppink matched Mast’s nine points and Alyssa Garvelink chipped in with eight points.“It is comforting when you’re shooting to know that someone will have your back if you miss,” Luurtsema said. “She will get that rebound. I think it just comes naturally for her.”

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